Back rest for beds



Oct. 23, 1945. B, g N 23875357 BACK REST FOR BED-S.

ATTORNEYS Filgd Jan. 7, 194a 2 Sheets-Sheet v1 26 29 I Mr f BROOKS [.fPOGEKSON Patented Oct. 23, 1945 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BACK BEST FOR BEDS Brooks E. Rogerson, Chagrin Falls, Ohio Application January '7, 1943, Serial No. 471,531 (Cl. 71)

. 1 Claim.

This invention relates to an improved form of adjustable back-rest for, use in a bed, my device being in the form of a separate accessory which can be readily placed in any conventional form of bed and readily removed therefrom.

I am aware that there have already been devised adjustable back-rests to be placed upon the outside of the bed or upon the floor, and that backrest in the form of an accessory which can be placed between the conventional springs and mattress of a bed without any modification.

thereof and can be readily adjusted by the user, while-occupying positiomin the bed, so as to provide the inclination desired for the back.

Another object is to provide such a device that is so constructed and arranged that it can be collapsed into substantially flat condition for storage or shipping, the locking means therefor being readily removable for this purpose. Another object is to provide such a device of skeleton or frame construction with means for properly supporting the mattress when in inclined position and at the same time for afiording comfortable, self-accommodating condition thereof for the back of the user.

Another object is to provide such a device with a locking member of a form corresponding substantially withthe arc of movement of the adjustable member so as to more efiiciently house the locking member during all positions of adjustment and'also to provide more efficient looking engagement thereof.

Other objects will appear from the following description and claims when considered together with the accompanying drawings. Fig. 1 is a side view of mydevice in collapsed or idle position within a bed;

Fig. 2 is a side view of mydevice in raised or active position within a bed;

. Fig. 3 is a plan view of my device in raised of disclosure is merely for the purpose of illustration and that. there might bedevised. various modifications thereof without departing from the spirit of my invention as herein set forth and claimed.

v The lower member I is of skeleton form, consisting of angle metal strips along the three sides thereof and being open at the front thereof. This member is reinforced by the angle strips 2 and 3. Theupper member 4 is of like construction and comprises the angle metal stripsalong the three sides thereof, with its front side open. The upper member 4 is reinforced by means of the angle strips 5 and 6. The upper member is pivotally connected to the lower member at the front corners thereof, as indicated at the points 1 and 8, the upper member being arranged within the lower member so that it can occupy folded or idle position therewithin, thereby rendering the same very compact for storage or shipping.

As indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, the pivotally connected members I and 4 are adapted to be placed between the regular bed springs S and the regular mattress M, neither of which is required to be modified at all in order to accommodate this device and to permit of its manipulation in the manner to be described. As shown in Fig. 2, the member 4 is adapted to be raised to inclined position, to the extent desired, so as to support the head portion of the mattress in such position, as herein indicated, and thereby afford comfortable sitting or reclining position for the user while in bed.

In order to hold the member 4 in the inclined position desired, I have provided the locking device which is of bail form and is pivotally mounted at the points 9 and I0 upon the rear part of the upper member 4 so as to be manipulatable about a horizontal axis by means of the transverse handle H at the upper part thereof. For this purpose, each of the two sides I2 and [2 of the locking member has affixed thereto an outwardly projecting pin, as indicated at 9 and I0, for removable engagement outwardly in the corresponding holes in the struts l3 and [4 which are mounted upon the upper part of the member 4 and to which the ends of the reinforcing members 5 and 6 are connected. The lower ends ofthe sides l2 and I2 are connected by the transverse bar [5 which is removably connected thereto by means of the nuts I6 which hold the side parts I2 and 12' against the inner nuts I! and IS on the bar l5. Thus, when the bar 15 is removed, the side parts I2 and 12 can be sprung inwardly sufficiently to permit the pins 9 and In to be withdrawn from their holes and the locking member entirely removed. Then, when it is desired to assemble the locking member, the reverse procedure will be followed; that is, the pins 9 and I will first be inserted outwardly through the holes, this being permitted by springing the side parts [2 and I2 inwardly, whereupon the bar it will be placed in position so as to hold the side parts 12 and I2 in spread position and thereby prevent removal of the pins 9 and it) so long as the bar I5 occupies such position. The side parts I2 and I 2' are each provided with the rachet teethl9 and 20 which are adapted for engagement with the edge portions of the rear angle bar of the lower member I, as indicated in Fig. 5. The side parts [2 and I2 ex tend through the keepers 2] and 22 which are secured to the underside of the rear part of the lower member I, as also seen in Fig. 5.. These keepers prevent the side parts 12 and 12' from pivotal axis in a clock-wise direction, as viewed in Fig. 2, so as to bring the ratchet teeth l9 and 20 into the path of their companion edges for engagement therewith, which is accomplished by permitting the upper member 4 and the locking member to be lowered sufficiently to effect such locking engagement. Then, when the user rests swinging too far rearwardly away from the locking edges; and also they will be engaged by the bar l5, when the upper member is in extreme raised position, so as to prevent removal of the side parts l2 and 12' from their assembled position withinrthe keepers 2| and 22.

As indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, the side parts 12 and I2 are curved in a manner corresponding substantially with the are described by the upper member 4 during its adjustable movement, therethe more efficiently accommodating the locking member to the space between the head of the bed and the springs and mattress. It is to be undrstood that the springs and mattress Will be ulled away s1ight1y from the head of the bed,

1 upon installation of this device, and this comparatively small space will be sufiicient to accommodate the manipulation of the locking member. Upon the rear part of the lower member I there may beprovided a strip of felt or other suitable material for ehgagement with the head of the bedso as not to mar the same when the device is operative position, as herein indicated by rerere'nce numeral I.

Extehding between the reinforcing angle strips 5, I have provided a plurality of resilient light metal straps 23 which are connected thereto by means'of pairs of coil springs 24, the purpose of this provision'b'ei'ng to maintain the corresponding part of the mattress in proper position so as not to sag under the weight of the user and at the. same time to permit comfortable self-accommodation of the mattress to the back of the'user as he rests thereagainst.

,7 At the front of the back-rest, there is attached theretoin any suitable manner an apron of canvas or other appropriate material, as indicated by reference numeral 25, it being intended that theweight of the user upon this apron, as he 00- cupies position in bed, will serve tohold the device in proper position at all times of use or non-use. In the present 'form of illustration, I have shown a rod 26 extending across the front end of the backrest and being connected thereto and having the apron 25 attached thereto.

Assuming that the back-rest occupies idle position, asindicated in Fig. -1, and assuming that it is desired to raise the upper part 4 of the device to inclined position, even while the user occupies position in the bed. This may be done by the user merely -assumi-ng sitting position in bed, grasping the handle ll of the locking device and pulling upwardly upon the same so as to raise the upper member 4 and the mattress therewith.

W'hen'the mattress has been raised to the desired angle, the back-rest may be locked in such set position by turning the locking device about its his weight against the inclined member 4, this will serve to hold the locking member in effective engagement so as to hold the upper member 4 in the inclined position to which it has been adjusted. When it is desired to release the locking member and to lower the back-rest to a lower position or to completely idle position, this may be done by the user moving the upper part of his body away from the inclined part of the mattress and then grasping the handle I l and pressing against the same so as to turn the locking member in a counter-clockwise direction about its pivotal axis, as viewed in Fig. 2, so as to release the ratchet teeth from engagement, and then lowering the upper part 4 of the device with the corresponding part of the mattress, while. holding the locking member in the same released position until the back-rest has been lowered to the oint desired.

As indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, the handle ll of the locking member occupies position sufiiciently above the top of the mattress to be readily accessible to the hand of the user, it beingu'nderstood that this slight projection of the handle above the mattress will be completely and effectively covered'by the usual pillows at the head of the bed. In fact, the entire device is completely out of sight while installed in a bed and when not in use. Even when the device occupies raised position, it will not be at all noticeable except at the side of the bed and this is not objectionable as it is not at all unsightly.

Thus I have devised an adjustable back-rest which can be very readily placed in a bed or removed therefrom without involving any change whatever in the bed or any. part thereof and without involving any additional mechanism; and there is nothing unsightly about it at any time. Also, it can be manipulated by the user while in bed and it will always ensure complete comfort to thejuser in all positions. Furthermore, this device is of a comparatively simple form of. construc'tion, thereis nothing to get out of order over a prolongedperiod of time, and it can be manufactured and sold at a very popular price and installed and used without ariyadditional-experise. This same device can be employed with equal eiiiciency in a home or a hospital. What Iclaini is:

Aback-rest for a'bed, in the form of a selfcontained accessory adapted to be removably placed between the springs and'mattress of the bed and comprising a lower part to be supported upon the springs and an adjustable upper part to support the mattress in the desired inclined position, said upper part being pivotally connected at the lower end thereof to the front end of said lower part so as to beadjustable about a horizontal axis for raising and lowering-the same, said upper and lower parts beingseparate from the bed and being of substantially plain'fiat form throughout and being connected directly to each other so as to lie substantially flat throughout when the upper partis in fully lowered position, and a substantially U-shaped locking member havingresilient arms pivotally mounted upon the rear part of said upper member for movement about a horizontal axis, said U-shaped member havingpins projecting laterally from opposite arms thereof, apertures in portions of said upper member receiving said pins, releasable rigid means extending between the arms of said locking member so as to hold the same in such pivotal engagement, the arms of said U-shaped locking member being movable laterally upon release of said rigid means for effecting engagement or disengagement of said pins, whereby the locking member may be removed and placed in substantially flat condition with the other parts for shipping or storage, and said locking member having means for releasable locking engagement with the rear part of said lower member and having an upwardly extending handle portion readily accessible for manipulation by the hand of the user while occupying position in the bed.

BROOKS E. ROGERSON. 

